


Cimmerian

by unwindmyself



Series: curious shapes shift in the dark [107]
Category: True Blood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Exposition, F/F, Fae & Fairies, Fix-It, Gen, Research, agency and choices!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 20:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5063743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwindmyself/pseuds/unwindmyself
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The current situation is researched in various ways and also takes a turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cimmerian

**Author's Note:**

> Part four, "Death Defying Acts."

“So have y’all been aware of this the whole time?” Sookie asks, flopping down at the head of the table.

“Yes and no,” Claude sighs.

“What the hell does that mean?” Jason grumbles.

“Long ago, your fairy ancestors were royalty,” Claudija begins.  “Strictly speaking, our line is still of noble blood, but it doesn’t much matter for those of us who crossed over.  We’re all much less concerned with false hierarchy.”

“Get on with it,” Claudette groans.

“They were and are royalty,” Claudija says.  “Descendants of King Niall Brigant.”

“Yeah, Warlow mentioned that,” Sookie says, sounding unimpressed.  “Who’s Niall Brigant?”

“A king of the fairies,” Claudette says impatiently.  “He’s important in our world.  More important is the fact that he’s caused those who’ve come after in his line to be considered to have noble blood.”

“So how exactly did Warlow the vampire demi-god, who last I heard was responsible for our parents gettin’ murdered, make a deal to buy himself a fairy princess?” Jason asks.

“The pact made with the descendants of King Niall was made by a fairy prince,” Claude explains.

 

* * *

 

Somewhere in the room a phone starts to jingle, and drowsily Jessica mumbles, “Is that yours?”

“It’s Nora’s,” Eric sighs, immediately jumping up to deal with the thing and hoping his sister doesn’t wake.

“Who’d be callin’ her in the middle of the afternoon?” Jessica asks in a whisper, hoping the same for all of their sakes.

Eric glances at the phone and groans.  “Nobody but herself,” he says, holding it up so Jessica can see it’s just a memo that’s been set, one reading _get your arse out of bed and do your research._

Nora grumbles and rolls over, silently insisting that Jessica undo her, and Jessica knows better than to ignore this.  She takes Nora’s hands in her own when they’re freed, though, and asks, “What’s the idea behind the alarm, sweetie?”

Nora sighs and works her jaw around a few times.  “We need every advantage we can get,” she explains.  “There must be _something_ I can find, even if it’s just a rumor…”

Eric frowns, but Jessica presses on.  “How can we help, hon?”

“The house is light-tight?”

“Of course.”

“Perfect,” Nora says, and in a flash she’s out of bed and pulling on a dressing gown, pinning her hair up.  “And the study is still functional?”

“It’s in a bit of disarray ‘cause I’m still tryin’ to choose some less-pretentious wallpaper, but the computer still works,” Jessica nods.

“And there’s still a copy of…”

“Yeah,” Jessica agrees.

“Then I’m going to let you take that task,” Nora delegates, heading for the door.  “I’m going to access the old Authority servers.”

“What about me?” Eric asks, smirking.

Nora shrugs.  “Google the bastard.”

 

* * *

 

“Okay, _what_?” Sookie exclaims.

“The prince of another fairy clan made a bargain with your ancestors to marry their next fae-bearing relation,” Claude says.  “Macklyn, his name was, and while we knew of this treaty and that you were the one who was lined up to fulfill it, said prince disappeared from our knowing ages ago.  We assumed, reasonably, that he had met his end.”

“What’s that got to do with Warlow the vampire hellbeast?” Jason snaps.

“There have long been rumors that there existed in this world a fae and vampire hybrid,” Claudija says.  “And last night, our sister Claudellen divined such a creature had appeared in our area.”

“Who’s Claudellen?” Jason asks.

“Our sister,” Claudija repeats.  “As well as our light and our telepathy, she’s blessed with the gift of divination.”

“Oh, she can’t see the future or anything so extreme as that,” Claudette shrugs, “but she can sense things.  Beings.  Disturbances in the usual state of an area.  Something as extreme as the arrival of a hybrid creature, especially one with malicious intent and an evil heart, is easily discerned.”

“So Warlow, the thing that killed our parents, is actually, _surprise!_  Macklyn the fairy prince who’s supposed to get my hand in marriage?” Sookie clarifies.  “Jesus Christ.”

“We should have known this,” Claude frets.  “It’s my responsibility to look after you in my sister’s absence.”

“If Macklyn managed the sort of magic that would both keep his own kind from recognizing his vampire half and would keep him under the radar as a whole for years and years, he’s much more powerful than anyone could have guessed at,” Claudette consoles.

“Perhaps if the Elder was still around, she’d have been able to see it,” Claudija suggests.  “But that’s not something you can take the blame for, either.”

“Shit, oh, shit,” Sookie suddenly mutters.  “Russell Edgington and everyone were so obsessed with my blood ‘cause it would allow them to daywalk.  Fairy cancelin’ out the vampire allergy to the sun.  If Warlow’s a fairy vampire…”

“I’ve never met one of his kind before,” Claude cautions, “so I cannot say this as a certainty, but yes, it’s very likely that he would be able to walk in the sunlight.”

“Fuck,” Sookie shouts.  “Can you guys, like, do a magic thingy so he can’t get in here?”

“We could try,” Claudette murmurs.  “That’s the sort of thing Claudwina has a gift for.  I’ll go alert her to the problem.”

“The girls,” Sookie murmurs.

“I’ll go let ‘em know what’s goin’ on,” Jason promises, and he disappears out into the main room.

“Our _friends_ ,” Sookie exclaims.  “The fairy bit isn’t gonna cancel out the not bein’ invited into the house vampire thing, is it?”

“I don’t know why it would,” Claude says.  “Fairy cancels out vampire insofar as light because fairies are creatures of light, specifically.  Nothing about fairies cancels out the need to be invited in.”

“Thank the goddess,” Claudette breathes out.

“So long as they stay inside the house, they’re gonna be okay,” Sookie says.  “I’m gonna text Nicole, let her know just in case.”

 

* * *

 

“ _Bloody tits_ ,” Nora shouts.

“What is it, _syster_?” Eric asks, dropping his phone and coming to her side.

“‘The progeny will lead Lilith to the sun,’” she repeats, as she’s done so many times.  “There’s legend - nothing more - buried in the files, a suggestion that before the progeny, Warlow, was turned, he was a child of the sun.  Of light.”

“As are all humans,” Eric frowns.

“ _Light_ , brother,” Nora insists.

“Shit,” Jessica murmurs.  “He’s a fairy.”

 

* * *

 

“Everything goin’ smooth?” Sam asks, leaning up against the bar.

“Smooth as it’s gonna when my nieces are holed up in a vampire house waitin’ out yet another maniac who wants to get his paws on Sookie,” Arlene snipes.

“They’re safe,” he says.  “We’ve all been takin’ shifts, makin’ sure we’re all safe. He can’t get in the house, and anyway it’s the daytime.  They’re mostly just still there ‘cause they need to get rest.”

“And I guess they’ll need to stay there till this guy gets put down?” she presses.  “Since at least in the house with their… vampire blood-bonds they’re safe from his attacks.”

“That’s the thought,” he says.  “But we’re workin’ on a plan to take care of it.  We’ve done it before.”

She looks unconvinced.  “I still think Andy and us oughta head to the house,” she says.

“Less Holly wants to try to magic the guy, which I kinda doubt she oughta,” Sam shrugs.  “Stay away for now.  We don’t want him gettin’ wind of the fact y’all are close to us, too.”

“You let those girls get killed, I swear to god,” Arlene begins.

“They’re not gettin’ killed,” he promises.  “We’re takin’ care of them.  Of everyone.”  He looks around the mostly empty bar.  “So thank _you_ for takin’ care of the bar while we get this sorted.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says.  “You get back to the bunch ‘fore night comes.  I’ve got it.”

Sam smiles, patting her on the shoulder.  “Have a good one, Arlene.”  As he heads out the door and to his car he takes his phone out, starts firing off a text message to Luna letting her know he’s coming back and everything’s fine, Emma’s still safe and sound at the Bellefleur house watching old _Rainbow Brite_ cartoons with Lisa, Andy’s not worrying about his daughters _too_ much, all that.

He drives the short distance back to the Compton house, and by the time he’s parked there’s a message from Luna saying everyone’s fine but good thing he’s coming back -

“Good afternoon, shifter,” a low voice says in his ear.

Sam whirls around.  “What the _fuck_?”

“You didn’t think it was going to be that simple, did you?” Warlow asks, and all in a rush he wraps hands around Sam’s neck and twists.


End file.
